It's a numbers game for Cal football the rest of the season and the numbers do not look promising.

The Bears are 3-5 heading into Saturday night's game at Rice-Eccles Stadium against another disappointing team, Utah, followed by an ESPN Friday night home game against Washington on Nov. 2.

If the 2-5 Utes and 3-4 Huskies look like winnable games for Cal, then its final two games most assuredly do not: No. 2 Oregon (7-0) at Memorial Stadium and No. 7 Oregon State (6-0) in Corvallis.

If that frosty pint glass with the Cal logo is half-full, the Bears would finish 5-7, giving coach Jeff Tedford his second losing season in the past three years. It would take a mighty upset by the Bears in the last two games to even get to 6-6, which underscores how damaging the season-opening loss to Nevada was.

"They haven't been able to put it together this season and have had some struggles, much like we have," was Utah coach Kyle Whittingham's assessment of Cal.

Don't talk macro to Tedford, however. He's having none of it. With alumni dissatisfaction building to a crescendo, Tedford might well be a man coaching for his job as he nears the end of his 11th year in Berkeley.

"Everybody is very aware of where we are," Tedford said. "It's one game at a time. It's one play at a time, one meeting at a time. It's what we focus on. We're not talking about the big picture. We have to handle what's at hand. It's really one week at a time. Our team has been pretty good at focusing on that and staying in that mind-set."

In a season of inconsistency, one constant for Cal has been its inability to stand up to the more robust teams on its schedule. Even Nevada pushed Cal around. Others to follow included Ohio State, USC, Arizona State and Stanford - losses all.

Now the Bears come into a place famous for its rowdy fans. Saturday night is Utah's fifth annual "blackout" game, in which the team wears black uniforms and fans show up dressed in basic black as well, prepared to roar all game long.

That's not encouraging news for Cal's offense as it tries to put the memory of last week's humbling loss to Stanford behind it. The Cardinal's Bully Boys limited the Bears to three yards rushing, total, once quarterback Zach Maynard's losses on sacks were factored in.

"There's only one week we haven't run it well. That was last week," Tedford said. "It'd be nice to establish the run and mix it up."

After he knocked more than a half-season of rust off against Stanford, Dominic Galas seems likely to start at right guard after alternating with Chris Adcock a week ago. He brings a certain bulldog feistiness to Cal's line that can only help.

"He had a pretty good game, he really did," offensive line coach Jim Michalczik said of Galas. "He competed hard. To have both those guys ready is a big help."

The Bears might need some help on defense, as their starting linebackers are in a bad way. Inside linebacker Jalen Jefferson is out with a concussion and outside 'backers Chris McCain (ankle) and Brennan Scarlett (broken hand) are doubtful at best.

Along with cornerback Steve Williams, McCain and Scarlett are among Cal's best defenders.

Nine games in, Cal's season is teetering between salvaging what's left and becoming so much scrap.

Saturday's game

Who: Cal (3-5, 2-3 Pac-12) at Utah (2-5, 0-4 Pac-12)

Where: Salt Lake City

When: 6:45 p.m.

TV/Radio: P12BA/810 AM

Story line: Both teams should be on the verge of desperation tonight. The Bears need to win three of their last four games just to get to 6-6 and be considered for a bottom-tier bowl game. Utah needs to win four of its final five to get to the same mediocre level.

What to watch for

-- Cal tailback Isi Sofele gets to play in his hometown for the first and last time in his college career, so he should be especially motivated. He's been supplanted by C.J. Anderson as Cal's primary rusher this season, but both will play and will be eager to put last week's dismal rushing total against Stanford (3 yards) behind them.

-- With Jefferson out and McCain and Scarlett doubtful, the pressure will be on reserves Dan Camporeale, J.P. Hurrell and Nathan Broussard to take up the slack. Broussard has played well in McCain's stead this season with four tackles for losses and 2 1/2 sacks.

-- If he catches three passes against Utah, Keenan Allen will become Cal's career leader in receptions. He has 200 in little more than 2 1/2 years and trails Geoff McArthur, who had 202 from 2000-04. Fans should savor Allen's performances because he is likely to declare for the NFL draft after his junior year is over.